Peace and sleep were the 2 things that never came easily to Nathaniel. One was because of the injustices in front of him every day and the other, well, was also for similar reasons. This is why he currently stood upon one of the highest towers in Mitras, the astronomy tower looking out into the night sky. He wasn't alone of course. He was the king after all. Who accompanied him were 2 guards also from the 104th Cadet Corps, though being from the Garrison troops. They talked a bit, about the good old days from training, but not much else.
The mood he could tell was dampened. He was a Cadet of the 104th like them. He fought at Trost and in Wall Rose, but even that was superseded by him being a royal, no…, he shook his head, king, yes king now, talking to them like everyone else did must have put them off. He knew that this wouldn't be the only case now, nor an outlier, but the norm from now on. If only, he thought, if only things didn't have to be this way
It was like that for a while up there. 3 people contemplating their decisions and luck in life, all filled with regret and wishful hope for the past. One was ready to jump on to certain death, another considered retirement, though violently, and the last seek only peace of their mind. Each did not and would not know of the other and their struggles, this being the only time they truly ever meet as one would die the next day. This is the way of life and time.
Moving his head up from its downward state, Nathaniel looked briefly at the stairs, pondering if anyone would care to join them up there tonight. Perhaps he was wishing for someone special would join him up here in the mountains? It wasn't the same anymore, he shook his head as he looked upon the horizon, hoping to come across an answer.
He could see where it all began, looking to the south. Training Camp, what a time! To think that it was only 3 years ago that it began, begun with....with her. That's who he needed now, now more than ever. Before the truth was found, she was one of few then or now that could truly comfort him, be his true self around, dropping the social mask with relief. At first, he didn't notice it, but she too was more open when it just was the two of them around and no one else, not even her "friends" from her "destroyed" village. Maybe that's what brought them so close, so close together, as 2 ships from opposite sides of a war lost together in a storm, but now apart again.
He could not imagine what he would do, looking down at Mitras now where she laid captive, to have just one more night, one more night like the one before graduation, just one more night like that with her, that would make him whole perhaps once more.
"Annie," he whispered, unheard by the other 2 on the tower.
It wasn't until after hours upon hours dwelling upon those thoughts that relieve to them can, but not in the way he thought. What he heard was as if death had screamed in rage at them, shaking the tower and Mitras.
Grabbing upon the ledge to not fall off, Nathaniel swiveled his head as cries from all around were heard. Seeing fire coming from the North, he rushed to the telescope.
"It seemed to come from the North!" he shouted.
"Where?" frantically asked one of the guards as Nathaniel brought the telescope to focus on the Northern part of the horizon.
"Seems to me that....shit! Orvud!"
"Isn't that….." trailed the other.
"Yes, that's where the other half of this operation is or was going down." turning the telescope, Nathaniel said," It's night so I can't make it all out, but it seems to me that it came from around my father's chapel."
"Anything?"
"Fire and a moving mass that looks like shit. Whatever it is, it ain't Eren."
"Perhaps the reclaimed founder?" the first guard purposed.
"If that were the case," Nathaniel began," Those of noble and royal blood would be fine, but everyone else would have already had their memories altered, wiped even. This looks more Pureish in form. But whatever the hell it is, it's heading towards Orvud right now."
Sharing looks, they booked it down the tower and towards the government palace to share this news with the others. Fortunately, they came across them running towards them, so they meet in the middle of the street, as chaos was being brought to order within Mitras.
"Well, did you see whatever in the bloody hell made that racket from up there?" asked Premier Zachary in an almost desperate and exasperated tone.
"Yes, a Pure Titan Premier, a hell of an ugly, massive, burning pile of shite type." briefly replied Nathaniel.
Chuckling a bit, Premier tilted his head as if silently asking Nathaniel if he was joking, the tone shifted in Nathaniel's face, and as he did so, told him that he wasn't. Gravely he asked, "Where?"
"At this moment, crawling towards Orvud right now."
"How?"
"Seems to me it came from the chapel, possibly a last-ditch attempt to get the founder from Eren by my father, evidently it has failed."
Zachary looked briefly to the ground, then at Nathaniel.
"Well, what can we do about this?"
"We can reach there around dawn if we are fast enough, right?" asked Nathaniel.
"Only if those going were pushing their horses like madmen, then yes. What are you thinking of?" the Premier was intrigued, along with others, at what was running around in the new king's head.
"Only on horses should do it if we leave soon, but I think it's time we put forth now instead of later the operation we discussed earlier today. I think the best hope we have to help our other half is Operation Phoenix."
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Operation Phoenix was one of the few operations among the fledging heads, and it wasn't well-liked. Simply put, it called for the redemption of certain enemies or former enemies of the state. Certain meaning in this case meaning one, as there was only one at the moment, Annie Leonhart.
Opinions on her were very mixed. Some wanted to see her hanged, out of those, few also wanted Eren also hanged, while others saw her as nothing but a harmless fly, seeking her being freed from prison. Overall, it balanced out to people wanting to see what she could and would do for the state for them to judge and deem her free to live or to be sent to the gallows.
When Nathaniel said those words, silence fell upon the entourage even as the capital was still rolling in pandemonium.
"You-you-you sure about this?" stuttered Dawk. He was on the side of being afraid of Annie, especially since it was one of the MPs that was hiding being a titan.
"Why not?" questioned Nathaniel. No responses.
"This shall be a nice trial run for her." began Nathaniel, "It's out of the way for her to escape, it's something she just can't flee from, not with all the soldiers around itching just for a reason to kill her. Also, we can't forget the giant titan crawling towards Orvud right now, who's not to say that if we fail because she doesn't help, it simply doesn't go after her next?"
No response was pushed into his face. Horses' hooves could be heard coming from a distance towards them. His reinforcements for Orvud. To save to from doom, and with it, the start of the redemption of Annie Leonhart.
"Tonight," he yelled towards all, even over the roaring of hooves, "We ride not only for Orvud but for everyone. We ride for this nation of walls and more. We ride for what it is meant to be, what it wants to stand for, and what the people want. We ride to end, no, tear down the old and raise the new. No longer shall we hide amongst the walls, but we galivant in the open for all to see."
His guard rode by. With one swift motion, like water, he jumped onto a riderless horse as it rode by, ODM gear lay in wait for him. Putting it on as he rode with his guard away, he shouted to the now-formed crowd;
"Tomorrow, we save Orvud. 2 months! 2 months! 2 months we save Shiganshina!"
His arms pumped into the air every time 2 was said. It was only later that most realized that Nathaniel and his guard were following an eerily similar tale of long ago. A hero rode out of walls, to the North, to defeat his father and redeem a beloved. The hero didn't do it for fame, wealth, or glory, rather as it was told in the Tale when asked, he said "I do it for the people. As a ruler, I am the first of people in a nation…." the hero hesitated for a moment, but regaining his strength, begun once more with "...but, but that means that I am the first in the line of duty. First one in and the last out. I am the pillar of the people, not the other way around." The hero died soon tragically after, but that wasn't part of the tale that people remembered, it was how the hero viewed himself as king, a reminder to all to be better for the people, for all. It served its purpose beyond that, for it had kept those in power to keep themselves in check rather than face the consequences and wrath of the so-called "peasants" below them. The name of this long-ago tale was "The Wayward King of the People"
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seeing his titan form was quite a shock for Eren. No, it wasn't greater than the fact that Rod's Pure. Titan crawled its way to Orvud, and they barely had a plan. Seeing his titan, even if it lacked the colorfulness of a Titan, was a novelty. One that he wouldn't forget for a long time.
What was another shock to be added on was what Kenny rambled on about as they rode in carts toward the outer bastions of humanity, not the last apparently, according to Kenny. Finding out that his father most likely came from Annie, Bertholdt, and Reiner came from was unnecessary at this point. Levi, sensing the discomfort, tried shutting up his uncle, something to find out another time, but no, Kenny just had to keep on rambling and rambling, admitting that he was "just trying to lighten the grim mood" of the journey, but he didn't see or seem to care that it wasn't working
Half-assing the plan was what they were going to do when they heard a shout from the walls. A force of cavalry had been seen coming from the south. Coming from Mitras. Unless Eren was wrong about how loud he or Rod was last night, how in the hell did they hear them from that afar?
Levi groaned when he saw who approached them with over 300 horses. Eren did too when he did. It was Nathanil, with a grin and glean in his face one could only have to be sleep deprived and with him, riding on his horse in chains, was the Female Titan.
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The galloping hoard of horses coming into Orvud was quite a subject of gossip. Most didn't know of the true threat that was to befall them, most think it was just a stray Titan this far north, unlikely as that was. But to send 300 on horse from Mitras of all places. Granted, Mitras had ways to observe most of the remaining wall sections from North to East with the mountains nearby, but it must have been quick, too quick in their minds.
Nathaniel rode in the front as their force went down the streets of Orvud. They were heading towards what was the town hall of Orvud, now most likely military command. Orvud was far enough North that they never had the need for this much involvement of the military until today.
Dawn was fast approaching as Nathaniel finally stopped with his forces, horses frothing from the break-neck speeds they went through most of the night, in front of what he assumed were the Scouts and Garrison forces making a plan outside. He noticed a large pile of explosives near the edge of the town center they were in, probably for Rod.
Heads turned as he, along with most, dismounted from their horses, breaking up the planning.
He saw Commander Erwin looking toward him confused at his presence. Erwin had arrived earlier, sent forward to be with the other half of the conspiracy. Others gave him weird looks, most knew of him, but not of the new royal status that he decided to reveal. It also didn't help that his uniform had the Reiss family crest along with a crown above it instead of the Scout dual wings symbol. Lastly, it was the elephant in the room, Annie Leonhart, the Female Titan being in chains on his horse.
Reluctantly, Erwin shook his head, putting his paper plans down, and approached Nathaniel, asking "What are you doing here, your Highness?"
Nathaniel almost completely overlooked the tone of mild frustration and annoyance in his voice as Erwin asked the question, but he didn't, Nathaniel just really didn't care, more that he heard people, including Historia shout out in shock, "Your Highness?!"
"It's simple," began Nathaniel, "My father was heard in Mitras. Caused quite a great stir."
"Still doesn...."
"I decided to enact Operation Phoenix early, Commander. Got a problem with that?"
A simple head shake told him no as Erwin looked down to the ground.
"Then why are you…."
"Remember the reports?" curtly asked Nathaniel, ignoring the stares most people gave him.
"Which ones?" asked a slightly confounded Erwin.
"The ones of training camp. Of the "incidents"." replied Nathaniel
"That would, I'll accept that."
"You better. On to the next topic, 'fraid besides the Female Titan and some ODM gear, we don't have anything to bring. As y'all can see, we ran the horses ragged here to make it before dawn. We couldn't grab some of the equipment needed. What's this plan you got in mind right now for him?"
The plan was currently solid, involving Eren getting close enough to blow Rod's head up enough for the Scouts on ODM gear to dice up the flying chunks of flesh and hit the nape, preventing Rod from reforming.
"Guess we can add the Female Titan to explosives duty. The guards without ODM gear can be crowd control, we all know we need that even with a practice evac drill. Those with ODM gear will join with the Scouts and dice up the flying flesh. Understood?" asked Nathaniel to the amassed troops, dawning breaking forth now with yells from the top of the walls that Rod would be at Orvud within the hour. 2 group questions were asked of Nathaniel. One was on Operation Phoenix.
"You don't need to know about most details now, but there is a major one y'all should know right now." Jaunting over to his horse, Nathaniel brought out a set of keys, bringing them toward the chains.
"You heard your role in this, right Female Titan?" deadpanned Nathaniel at Annie.
For a moment, it seemed like she was in a daze, shaking it off, she replied with a straight face, "Yes."
"You see if the Female Titan here doesn't go along with our plans we've just made right now, she becomes another target. Another Titan likes the one facing us down right now. You will use any force to stop her, even if it means lethal force. Understood?" asked Nathaniel of the present parties, a "Yes!" and along with some confused "Your Highness!".
"Great!" Nathaniel unlocked the chains, and Annie jumped down and away from the king.
"And your Highness, what do you plan to do with your ODM gear?" This was asked by Captain Levi of all people.
"Isn't it obvious to you people, I plan to join the Scouts in killing my father?"
Perplexed looks followed that statement.
"I was first, as many of you know, of the 104th Cadet Corp, especially in ODM gear."
Many in the audience had flashbacks to the terror that was "Royal Blur."
"Also, as king of these walls, I want to be less hidden than my predecessors, mainly my father. Remember this, for you might have to enact it one day, so listen carefully. A ruler is the first citizen of their nation, but that doesn't mean that they are above the people, above laws. They are still beholden to them. Being the first citizen means that they are first in line for the duty of the nation. They are the first to take upon themselves the burden and responsibility of the nation and its people and they are the last to drop it. They will always put their lives on the line for all before they allow their selfishness to take hold and corrupt them. It is the power of ruling a nation that corrupts a person, after all, power is the crown that eats away at the head of a person. Remember this lesson, forget it not, for one day you might have to teach it to rulers of a nation, even me one day. Now…"
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!
The ground shook below them, interrupting Nathaniel's speech and spooking many, including the towns folk who were now certainly awakened.
"Now, now that's our cue to get into positions if you already haven't people!"
Most scattered, the roars of ineffective cannon fire could be heard from the walls, but a certain special someone stayed behind with the horses and Nathaniel. Noticing this, Nathaniel felt something he hadn't felt since before the walls fell.
"Hello, sister."
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Historia, well to put it lightly, was surprised at all the events happening. She was still kinda in shock by Ymir's betrayal, then finding out her father has gone off the deep end, that she had presumably "half"-brother, that she might have feelings for Eren too, that not only was her still presumably "half"-brother was alive, but had already overthrown her father's pawns in the capital, rode out to save her, and was Nathaniel. She blushed in embarrassment after she found out that last one, for not only had she had feelings for him back in training for him, but before he started going out with Annie, he, Ymir, and herself had done some questionable "things" together, thought it would explain one thing, but the less said about it, the better.
"Hello sister." he greeted her amongst the evolving chaos of it all.
"Uh-uh-uh-uh," was all she could muster and stuttered out of her mouth in response.
He too looked embarrassed, probably because he too remembered the questionable "things" and with that, a conversation began between them. It was silent but ended with both of them agreeing to not speak of the "things" ever again. Clearing his throat and the awkwardness, Nathaniel said once again, "Hello Historia, or rather my sister." Putting his hands up in defense, he said "Now, I know what you are going to ask. Don't. I'll tell you the short story now, and the longer one later. Yes, we are siblings, but half. Yes, we are related through our mutual bastard of a father, although like you, I am also a bastard. You see, Father was rather paranoid that his line was going to die, so like the bastard that he was, he had as many as possible. As far as I know now, we are the only remaining children of his, the rest dead. Think the last one we meet was poor Marco Boldt of our class." he said with a sad smile on his face.
To think that there were other, other siblings that Historia never knew about, and what cruel acts had been done to them by fate, just made her teary-eyed. She just wiped away them but stopped when she saw Nathaniel had those glistening eyes too, he too sadden by what the cruel universe had done to their family.
At that moment, that moment of chaos, screams of cannon fire from the walls, screams from the people in town, screams for the soldiers for order in chaos, screams in all of their hearts and minds, at that moment despite it all, time seemed to slow down for the 2 of them. 2 lost souls, or halves of a whole, finding each other in the void that was their existence.
If it could last forever, it would be better, but it didn't. It was rudely interrupted by the screams of the people pointing at the now 3, yes, 3 titans on the walls of Orvud. Most had pissed their pants by now, most had never seen a titan in their god-forsaken life, and those that did hadn't seen the likes of Rod's. Nathaniel got his first look of what was his sperm provider's husk of a titan. Its front half was a cavern, the face bleeding and showing the brains, bloody mouth, and plumes of steam enough to melt even most metals spewing forth from every part of his titan. If it were for its odd beauty, catching Nathaniel's eyes, he might have completely missed Eren's and Annie's titans rushing forward towards the mouth with explosives.
"I am sorry we have to cut this family reunion short, but" gesturing to the walls, "We are up, I swear of my mother's grave, I'll tell you the story later."
Using their ODM gear, they only got to the tops of the nearby roofs before a wave of hot air sent a shockwave from the top of the wall. Chunks of Rod's flesh were sent skyward, plummeting toward the ground after reaching an apex in height. It was their time to do what was right, to make it right. Both didn't know it, but as they rocketed towards the fleshy burning chunks that careened towards Orvud and the earth, they both were drawn to the same chunk, about nape size. Both were shocked in the moments before contact, swords drawn, that they went to the same chunk, opposite sides, and in the same attack motion. Too late to stop the motions already going, the swords made contact and started to go through the falling flesh.
At that point, both of them felt something, like they were somewhere else. A brief glimpse of Rod pleading to his father to exterminate the Titans. Of his father, brother, and then daughter saying that all will be right. It wouldn't be. COWARD COWARD COWARD COWARD pounding their heads briefly as Rod looked to his dying family, watching as Grisha finally consumed his daughter. A sickening crunch could be heard as Rod threw up from his hidden vantage point, cursing himself why, why didn't he help, or at least dying. Bottles floated past like they were minutes, the madness eating away at his head, and then, right before it faded to black, a small bit of himself, the part lost to time, begged to both of at least some forgiveness saying, "Forgive me, my children. I never was right in the head. At least make this island the Paradise that it was meant to be."
That and much more happened within the span of 10 seconds. With their cuts into Rod's flesh, a primordial scream could be heard. Those within the vicinity heard a normal, wet scream as a dying man took his last breaths before being cremated within the fleshy chunk of his titan, but others heard the true scream. Titan users and the royal heard the truth, a mind-bending scream.
In the Shiganshina, the beast mused, "Wondering what's happening up there?" He chuckled the last word, then brought his attention back to the 2 warriors in front of him. He had a nice little "punishment" for their failures.
Across the world, someone grimaced in pain as a migraine was brought forth.
But lastly and most importantly, a glowing tree shook, a branch died, and then grew back, stronger than ever. A girl smiled. The bucket had seemed a little lighter "today", and so too was the sand easier to shape. Now, she knew why. Maybe it was wrong to hope, it could be like last time, a false hope, but she had a gut-wrenching feeling that it wasn't. Looking back towards the endless sands, she noted that the dunes were ever so smaller.
"Maybe, maybe," she talked to no one in particular, "Maybe it is the beginning of the end. The end and with it my freedom. I can't wait to meet you, Nathaniel." She smirked at the last word. She had more than enough time to mull over this development. So, she sat and mulled over everything while she waited for her savior to come again.
This went unnoticed by those in Orvud, brushing things off as things in the heat of the moment, plus there were more important things to worry about, like the ground rushing up to embrace them. Thankfully, Nathaniel grabbed the still-frozen Historia and pulled up at the last moment. This little action brought them flying into a convenient stack of hay. It was better than splatting on the bricks, but it was still rough for both of them, unfreezing Historia in the process. When they managed to untangle themselves and pop out of the stack of hay, they had a crowd that was drawn towards them, probably because of the inhuman maneuver Nathaniel just pulled off to save both of their asses.
An old woman approached them She had a weary slow gait, a cane in her hand helping her. She reminded Nathaniel of an almost extract older version of his long-gone mother. The old woman simply asked a brief question, "Was it the both of you?"
He contemplated that, scanning the evergrowing crowd of not only people but now soldiers. He could see Eren's and Annie's titans clambering down the walls and making their way toward them. He didn't want to say yes, that it was everyone working as a team that did it, or at least that's what he assumed that she asked. Or did she ask if was it them that brought the killing blow to the devil titan, which from what Nathaniel could briefly gather, is what the people whispered about Rod's titan? He gave the woman his undivided attention, with a soft, caring tone, replied with a simple "Yes."
That word carried throughout the crowd, hushing it and enticing those on the edge of it to pay more attention and get closer. Then, those seeing the crowd swell started to move to it, hoping to hear what Nathaniel had to say. Some it seemed like he had the entirety of Orvud and the military at his attention and command.
Another was asked, Nathaniel couldn't tell who asked it, the people blurred together at this density, and faces looked all the same. The question was "And who are you? Who should we give thanks to for saving not only Orvud but presumably countless others?"
He knew what he had to say. It was his chance now, the one he talked to Zachary earlier about. He had to seize it, not only for himself but the rest of the co-..., no, comrades in arms.
"Who should you thank, but the men and women in uniform with and around you? Without them, my sister and I could not have dealt the final blow to the corrupt regime that precedes us. Without their sacrifice, you would stand here another day to live in the paradise we truly live in. But, if you must ask, we are hammers that crush the last of a corrupt government. The government that botched so much in the last 5 years. The ones who failed so many times to reclaim the walls, who let millions of your fellow folk starve, while they grew fat on their asses in the finest furniture in their ivory towers, high and oh so arrogant of all. Some, like my father, had at least a little remorse for what they had done, but most did not. We are the new, the bold. We are those who wish that the people had someone that truly spoke for them, so we, the youth, the hopeful, brought the previous government toppling down in hopes we can erect a better one. One was all here and across the lands shall live in true Paradise! We," gesturing to Historia, raising her hand with his, shouting, "We, the children of the last king who we just have slayed. We, the new, true rulers of these fair walls and the lands within them, rise forth from the shadows so that we shall bring Paradise to all! We shall never remain in the shadows, rather we shall bask in the light that soon shall bask all! We, we, could never do it without all of you. Without the sacrifice of all, of them we could not help all. We are not propped up by the military but by all of you." Nathaniel's hands pointed out to the crowd, "This nation was meant to be for the people, so I shall make it. By the people, of the people, for all!"
The crowd was a bit stunned at first. Nathaniel just had revealed himself as the true ruler of this land and of the hidden coupe that went unseen by most. Nether the less, the people started to clap, then cheer. Nathaniel proudly held his and Historia's hands above their heads, looking around at everyone as he did. When he looked at his sister, he saw the same proud, happy face that was on him, staring right back at him.
Historia felt a wave of happiness course through her as her brother finished his speech. It certainly was a crowd-pleaser. For once, for once in a long time, she felt that her future was truly bright. It was slightly diminished since Ymir wasn't here with her right now, standing amongst the crowd, but she knew that Ymir would still be happy for her. She would have wanted Historia not to be held back just because she wasn't there, Historia was her own person after all.
Nathaniel could sense this, so letting go of their hands, he started to walk forth into the crowd, eyeing someone in particular that Historia couldn't make out. Feeling a bit awkward up there by herself, she got down from the hay too, walking into the crowd, greeting her new subjects, answering questions, and generally chatting with the people. It didn't go on too long as a wave of gasps could be heard coursing through the crowd. When she looked for the source, she too gasped as she saw her brother at the edge of it all, standing right in front of Eren, kissing Annie Leonhart.